1698. deber
Lexical Summary
deber: Pestilence, plague

Original Word: דֶּבֶר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: deber
Pronunciation: DEH-ber
Phonetic Spelling: (deh'-ber)
KJV: murrain, pestilence, plague
NASB: pestilence, plague, thorns
Word Origin: [from H1696 (דָּבַר - spoke) (in the sense of destroying)]

1. a pestilence

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
murrain, pestilence, plague

From dabar (in the sense of destroying); a pestilence -- murrain, pestilence, plague.

see HEBREW dabar

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from dabar
Definition
pestilence
NASB Translation
pestilence (38), plague (10), thorns (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
דֶּ֫בֶר49 noun masculine pestilence (compare Arabic , , departure, death) — Exodus 9:3 +; דָּ֑בֶר Habakkuk 3:5; suffix דְּבָרֶיךָ Hosea 13:14; —

1 plague, pestilence, in General Exodus 5:3; Exodus 9:15; Numbers 14:12 (J) Leviticus 26:25 (H) Deuteronomy 28:21; 2 Samuel 24:13,15 (+ 2 Samuel 24:15 a ᵐ5 We Dr) = 1 Chronicles 21:12,14; 1 Kings 8:37 2Chronicles 6:28; 7:13; 20:9; Psalm 91:3; Psalm 91:6; Jeremiah 14:12 16t. Jeremiah; Ezekiel 5:12 11t. Ezekiel; Hosea 13:14; Amos 4:10; Habakkuk 3:5. Read וּבַדָּ֑בֶר, or the like, 1 Samuel 4:8, for ᵑ0 בַּמִּדְבָּר, We Klo Dr.

2 cattle-plague, murrain Exodus 9:3 (J) = Psalm 78:50.

Topical Lexicon
Concept and Range of Meaning

דֶּבֶר is the ordinary Hebrew term for “plague” or “pestilence,” denoting a divinely directed outbreak of fatal disease that strikes people, livestock, or an entire land. It is never used of a chance epidemic; every appearance portrays Yahweh as the active Subject, either sending, withholding, or delivering from the plague.

Canonical Distribution (≈ 49 references)

• Torah: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (≈ 16)
• Former Prophets / Historical Books: 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles (≈ 6)
• Writings: Psalms (2)
• Latter Prophets: Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, and others (≈ 25)

Covenantal Warning and Discipline

From the outset plague is tied to covenant accountability. In the Sinai legislation the threat of דֶּבֶר stands beside sword and famine as the climactic sanction for persistent rebellion. Leviticus 26:25 sets the pattern: “Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you”. Deuteronomy 28:21 repeats the warning for the new generation poised to enter Canaan.

Exodus and the Revelation of God’s Sovereignty

During the plagues of Egypt דֶּבֶר targets livestock: “Behold, the hand of the LORD will bring a severe plague on your livestock” (Exodus 9:3). Pharaoh is told that a single stroke of plague could have wiped out Egypt altogether (Exodus 9:15). Thus דֶּבֶר showcases the covenant God judging false gods and liberating His people.

Leadership, Intercession, and National Sin

When Israel rebels in the wilderness, Yahweh threatens, “I will strike them with a plague and destroy them” (Numbers 14:12). Moses’ intercession averts total destruction, underscoring the mediatorial role of God-appointed leaders. Centuries later David faces the same word after the census: “So the LORD sent a plague on Israel… and seventy thousand men… died” (2 Samuel 24:15). David’s repentance and sacrifice halt the plague at the future temple site, foreshadowing atonement by substitution.

Temple Theology and Communal Prayer

Solomon incorporates דֶּבֶר into the temple dedication prayer: “When famine or plague comes to the land… whatever prayer… each one prays… then hear in heaven” (1 Kings 8:37-39). The Chronicler repeats the plea (2 Chronicles 6:28; 7:13), directing every generation to seek God’s face when plague appears.

Wisdom and Assurance

Psalm 91 twice contrasts covenant curse with covenant shelter: “Surely He will deliver you… from the deadly pestilence” (91:3); “nor the plague that stalks in darkness” (91:6). The righteous find refuge, not by denying plague’s reality, but by trusting the covenant LORD.

Prophetic Courtroom Language

Jeremiah and Ezekiel join דֶּבֶר with sword and famine to announce judgment on unrepentant Judah and surrounding nations (Jeremiah 24:10; Ezekiel 14:21). The triad (sometimes quartet, adding wild beasts) frames plague as one facet of comprehensive divine judgment. Habakkuk 3:5 poetically pictures plague as God’s forerunner in His theophanic march: “Plague went before Him”.

Redemptive Trajectory

Plague’s purpose is ultimately restorative. Each Old Testament episode presses the need for a mediator who both bears judgment and secures deliverance. The typology matures in Jesus Christ, who “healed every disease” (Matthew 4:23) and, by His cross, absorbed covenant curses so that repentant believers receive mercy rather than pestilence.

Pastoral and Ministry Implications

1. Corporate Responsibility: דֶּבֶר falls on societies, demanding collective repentance, intercession, and ethical reform.
2. Sovereignty and Prayer: Scripture calls leaders and laity to humble petition when plague threatens, confident that God both sends and stays the plague.
3. Hope and Mission: Physical pestilence prefigures the deeper plague of sin; the gospel offers ultimate healing. Present-day crises become opportunities to proclaim judgment, mercy, and the finished work of Christ.

Key Texts for Study and Teaching

Exodus 5:3; 9:3-15

Leviticus 26:25

Numbers 14:12

Deuteronomy 28:21

2 Samuel 24:13-25

1 Kings 8:37-40

Psalm 91:3-7

Jeremiah 14:12; 24:10; 27:8, 13

Ezekiel 14:12-21

Habakkuk 3:5

Forms and Transliterations
בְּדֶ֣בֶר בְּדֶ֥בֶר בַּדֶּ֖בֶר בַּדֶּ֣בֶר בַּדֶּ֥בֶר בַּדָּ֑בֶר בַדֶּ֖בֶר בדבר דְבָרֶיךָ֜ דֶ֙בֶר֙ דֶּ֖בֶר דֶּ֙בֶר֙ דֶּ֣בֶר דֶּ֤בֶר דֶּ֥בֶר דָּ֑בֶר דבר דבריך הַדֶּ֣בֶר הַדֶּ֣בֶר ׀ הַדָּ֑בֶר הדבר וְדֶ֙בֶר֙ וְדֶ֣בֶר וְדֶ֥בֶר וְהַדֶּ֥בֶר וְהַדָּ֑בֶר וָדֶ֔בֶר וָדֶ֖בֶר וּבַדֶּ֔בֶר וּבַדֶּ֖בֶר וּבַדֶּ֜בֶר וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וּבַדָּ֑בֶר֙ וּבַדָּֽבֶר׃ וּלְדָֽבֶר׃ וּמִדָּ֑בֶר ובדבר ובדבר׃ ודבר והדבר ולדבר׃ ומדבר לַדֶּ֥בֶר לדבר מִ֭דֶּבֶר מִדֶּ֥בֶר מדבר bad·dā·ḇer bad·de·ḇer ḇad·de·ḇer baddāḇer badDaver baddeḇer ḇaddeḇer badDever bə·ḏe·ḇer bəḏeḇer beDever dā·ḇer dāḇer Daver ḏə·ḇā·re·ḵā de·ḇer ḏe·ḇer ḏəḇāreḵā deḇer ḏeḇer devareiCha Dever had·dā·ḇer had·de·ḇer haddāḇer hadDaver haddeḇer hadDever lad·de·ḇer laddeḇer ladDever mid·de·ḇer middeḇer midDever ū·ḇad·dā·ḇer ū·ḇad·de·ḇer ū·lə·ḏā·ḇer ū·mid·dā·ḇer ūḇaddāḇer ūḇaddeḇer ūləḏāḇer uleDaver ūmiddāḇer umidDaver uvadDaver uvadDever vadDever vaDever veDever vehadDaver vehadDever wā·ḏe·ḇer wāḏeḇer wə·ḏe·ḇer wə·had·dā·ḇer wə·had·de·ḇer wəḏeḇer wəhaddāḇer wəhaddeḇer
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Exodus 5:3
HEB: פֶּ֨ן־ יִפְגָּעֵ֔נוּ בַּדֶּ֖בֶר א֥וֹ בֶחָֽרֶב׃
NAS: He will fall upon us with pestilence or
KJV: lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
INT: otherwise will fall pestilence or the sword

Exodus 9:3
HEB: בַּבָּקָ֖ר וּבַצֹּ֑אן דֶּ֖בֶר כָּבֵ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃
NAS: severe pestilence on your livestock
KJV: grievous murrain.
INT: the herds the flocks pestilence severe a very

Exodus 9:15
HEB: וְאֶֽת־ עַמְּךָ֖ בַּדָּ֑בֶר וַתִּכָּחֵ֖ד מִן־
NAS: you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off
KJV: thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off
INT: and struck and your people pestilence have been cut from

Leviticus 26:25
HEB: עָרֵיכֶ֑ם וְשִׁלַּ֤חְתִּי דֶ֙בֶר֙ בְּת֣וֹכְכֶ֔ם וְנִתַּתֶּ֖ם
NAS: I will send pestilence among
KJV: I will send the pestilence among
INT: your cities will send pestilence among you shall be delivered

Numbers 14:12
HEB: אַכֶּ֥נּוּ בַדֶּ֖בֶר וְאוֹרִשֶׁ֑נּוּ וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙
NAS: I will smite them with pestilence and dispossess
KJV: I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit
INT: will smite pestilence and dispossess will make

Deuteronomy 28:21
HEB: בְּךָ֖ אֶת־ הַדָּ֑בֶר עַ֚ד כַּלֹּת֣וֹ
NAS: The LORD will make the pestilence cling
KJV: The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave
INT: cling the LORD the pestilence until has consumed

2 Samuel 24:13
HEB: שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת יָמִ֥ים דֶּ֙בֶר֙ בְּאַרְצֶ֔ךָ עַתָּה֙
NAS: days' pestilence in your land?
KJV: days' pestilence in thy land?
INT: shall there be three days' pestilence common henceforth

2 Samuel 24:15
HEB: וַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהוָ֥ה דֶּ֙בֶר֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֵהַבֹּ֖קֶר
NAS: sent a pestilence upon Israel
KJV: sent a pestilence upon Israel
INT: sent the LORD A pestilence Israel the morning

1 Kings 8:37
HEB: יִהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֗רֶץ דֶּ֣בֶר כִּֽי־ יִ֠הְיֶה
NAS: if there is pestilence, if
KJV: famine, if there be pestilence, blasting,
INT: become the land is pestilence if become

1 Chronicles 21:12
HEB: חֶ֣רֶב יְהוָ֤ה וְדֶ֙בֶר֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ
NAS: of the LORD, even pestilence in the land,
KJV: of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land,
INT: of the sword of the LORD pestilence the land and the angel

1 Chronicles 21:14
HEB: וַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה דֶּ֖בֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּפֹּל֙
NAS: sent a pestilence on Israel;
KJV: sent pestilence upon Israel:
INT: sent the LORD pestilence of Israel fell

2 Chronicles 6:28
HEB: יִהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֗רֶץ דֶּ֣בֶר כִּֽי־ יִֽ֠הְיֶה
NAS: if there is pestilence, if
KJV: in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting,
INT: become the land is pestilence if become

2 Chronicles 7:13
HEB: וְאִם־ אֲשַׁלַּ֥ח דֶּ֖בֶר בְּעַמִּֽי׃
NAS: I send pestilence among My people,
KJV: or if I send pestilence among my people;
INT: if send pestilence my people

2 Chronicles 20:9
HEB: חֶרֶב֮ שְׁפוֹט֮ וְדֶ֣בֶר וְרָעָב֒ נַֽעַמְדָ֞ה
NAS: [or] judgment, or pestilence, or famine,
KJV: judgment, or pestilence, or famine,
INT: the sword judgment pestilence famine will stand

Psalm 78:50
HEB: נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם לַדֶּ֥בֶר הִסְגִּֽיר׃
NAS: their life to the plague,
KJV: their life over to the pestilence;
INT: their soul their life to the plague gave

Psalm 91:3
HEB: מִפַּ֥ח יָק֗וּשׁ מִדֶּ֥בֶר הַוּֽוֹת׃
NAS: And from the deadly pestilence.
KJV: [and] from the noisome pestilence.
INT: the snare of the trapper pestilence the deadly

Psalm 91:6
HEB: מִ֭דֶּבֶר בָּאֹ֣פֶל יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ
NAS: Of the pestilence that stalks
KJV: [Nor] for the pestilence [that] walketh
INT: of the pestilence darkness stalks

Jeremiah 14:12
HEB: בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ וּבָרָעָ֣ב וּבַדֶּ֔בֶר אָנֹכִ֖י מְכַלֶּ֥ה
NAS: famine and pestilence.
KJV: and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
INT: the sword famine and pestilence I to make

Jeremiah 21:6
HEB: וְאֶת־ הַבְּהֵמָ֑ה בְּדֶ֥בֶר גָּד֖וֹל יָמֻֽתוּ׃
NAS: they will die of a great pestilence.
KJV: they shall die of a great pestilence.
INT: man and beast pestilence of a great will die

Jeremiah 21:7
HEB: הַזֹּ֜את מִן־ הַדֶּ֣בֶר ׀ מִן־ הַחֶ֣רֶב
NAS: city from the pestilence, the sword
KJV: in this city from the pestilence, from the sword,
INT: likewise from the pestilence at the sword

Jeremiah 21:9
HEB: בַּחֶ֖רֶב וּבָרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר וְהַיּוֹצֵא֩ וְנָפַ֨ל
NAS: and by famine and by pestilence; but he who goes
KJV: and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out,
INT: the sword famine pestilence goes and falls

Jeremiah 24:10
HEB: הָרָעָ֣ב וְאֶת־ הַדָּ֑בֶר עַד־ תֻּמָּם֙
NAS: the famine and the pestilence upon them until
KJV: the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed
INT: the sword the famine and the pestilence until are destroyed

Jeremiah 27:8
HEB: בַּחֶרֶב֩ וּבָרָעָ֨ב וּבַדֶּ֜בֶר אֶפְקֹ֨ד עַל־
NAS: with famine and with pestilence, declares
KJV: and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed
INT: the sword famine pestilence will punish that

Jeremiah 27:13
HEB: בַּחֶ֖רֶב בָּרָעָ֣ב וּבַדָּ֑בֶר֙ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר
NAS: famine and pestilence, as the LORD
KJV: by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD
INT: the sword famine and pestilence which has spoken

Jeremiah 28:8
HEB: לְמִלְחָמָ֖ה וּלְרָעָ֥ה וּלְדָֽבֶר׃
NAS: and of calamity and of pestilence.
KJV: and of evil, and of pestilence.
INT: of war evil pestilence

49 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 1698
49 Occurrences


bad·dā·ḇer — 1 Occ.
bad·de·ḇer — 4 Occ.
bə·ḏe·ḇer — 2 Occ.
dā·ḇer — 1 Occ.
ḏə·ḇā·re·ḵā — 1 Occ.
de·ḇer — 11 Occ.
had·dā·ḇer — 3 Occ.
had·de·ḇer — 2 Occ.
lad·de·ḇer — 1 Occ.
mid·de·ḇer — 2 Occ.
ū·lə·ḏā·ḇer — 1 Occ.
ū·mid·dā·ḇer — 1 Occ.
ū·ḇad·dā·ḇer — 7 Occ.
ū·ḇad·de·ḇer — 4 Occ.
ḇad·de·ḇer — 1 Occ.
wā·ḏe·ḇer — 2 Occ.
wə·ḏe·ḇer — 3 Occ.
wə·had·dā·ḇer — 1 Occ.
wə·had·de·ḇer — 1 Occ.

1697
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